Naengmyeon is made of thin, buckwheat noodles (other variations can be made with potatoes, sweet potatoes, arrowroot, and other starches). The broth can be made from beef, chicken, or a variety of radish kimchi. It’s icy, with a slight tang, and most people add vinegar and mustard before eating. Thin slices of cucumber, Korean pear, and radish are generally added as well.

Kong-guksu is an aesthetically pleasing bowl of wheat flour noodles served in a cold, milky broth made from ground soybeans. While naengmyeon has a more clear, acidic taste, kong-guksu has a creamy, but still clean and fresh taste.

Milmyeon is very similar to naengmyeon, and is a dish that represents the heart and soul of Busan. The noodles are made from mixing flour with different potato starches and meat broth. All of these ingredients are brought to simmer in a saucepan before being served in chilled meat broth.

Bibim-guksu is a spicy cold noodle dish made with very thin wheat flour noodles. It’s generally served without broth, and has a distinctive spicy sweet taste made from mixing gochujang, vinegar, and sugar, along with a dash of red pepper powder and minced garlic. If you like your spice, I’d definitely give this dish a try!

Jjolymyeon is actually categorized as a type of bibim-guksu. What makes us point it out in particular, is the noodles. “Jjolmyeon” is the name of the specific noodle itself, as well as this dish. Jjolmyeon noodles are very chewy, and were originally reject naengmyeon noodles that were tossed aside. A crafty chef in Incheon turned these noodles into jjolmyeon instead, and the dish has been a trendy hit ever since!

Hopefully these suggestions will help you out during the summer heat wave! If you’re looking to fill your food roster with some tasty noodles, be sure to check out RamyunFever! Stay cool, stay full, and STAY FRESH!